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Character Appreciation: Steve Jinks from “Warehouse 13”

Usually, I manage to stay on top of shows. However, when they’re on cable and have long gaps between seasons, I sometimes lose track. Warehouse 13 ended up being one of those cases. Realizing incredibly late that season 4 was wrapping up (I hadn’t seen any of the season) I decided to do a binge-watch.

If you don’t know, Warehouse 13 is a show about a group of government agents who work for the titular warehouse and scour the world for mystical objects that have been imbued with power by (usually) famous people, such as inventors, politicians, and celebrities. The items tend to be dangerous and need to be kept out of grubby, uninformed civilian hands.

Although it doesn’t push them often (opting for a mostly warm and fuzzy work family atmosphere instead), the show has created some pretty awesome, well-rounded characters, and while I could write up a post on just about any one of them, I’ve opted for Steve Jinks (Aaron Ashmore).

Being the newest member of the team, he’s had the tough job of warming up to a new on-screen pseudo family and the audience. The character has risen to the challenge, and he’s easily become one of my favorites, so I figured it was time for another acrostic poem appreciation post, this time featuring ATF agent Steve Jinks.

J is for Just

This one is a given. Being chosen to work at the warehouse means that he’s going to have a certain need to do what’s right. Choosing to become an ATF agent to avenge his dead sister, then standing up to Warehouse Caretaker/head honcho Mrs. Frederick when she tortured a suspect has led to him becoming one of the most fair of the warehouse agents.

I is for Investigative

This one is also a given when it comes to working for a secretive agency that tracks down and contains mystical objects. Not just anyone can get a job at Warehouse 13, and his particular skill set – the ability to tell when someone is lying – has come in handy time and time again.

N is for Noncommittal

Steve has always been a little on the skittish side. While he’s been with the Warehouse (on and off) for well over a season, he doesn’t fully move in until the end of season 4. His abilities to tell when someone is lying have led to some pretty mangled interpersonal relationships too, and have screwed him up to the point that he literally disappeared instead of breaking up with his lying ex.

K is for Karma

Look, I realize this one might be a bit of a stretch, but do you understand how hard it is to fit Buddhism into an acrostic poem using a name like “Jinks?” Yeah, I though so. Anyway, this one also fits well with “just.” Following Buddhism, Jinks appears to be more spiritual than the rest of the gang, and that seems to inform his sense of justice.

S is for Secretive

Coming into the team midway through the series, Jinks was always going to have some catching up to do. They had already created a work family, and it took him a while (as evidenced by the whole luggage thing) to feel like he fit in – I mean, he didn’t even reveal that he was gay until he was forced to when Claudia thought he was hitting on her.

What do you think of Steve Jinks and the show in general? Who’s your favorite character? Comment away!